Detect Silicosis early

​

Silica is a common material used in a variety of industrial processes including abrasive blasting which is done to clean and smooth irregularities from molds, jewelry, and foundry castings, finish tombstones, etch or frost glass, or remove paint, oils, rust, or dirt form objects needing to be repainted or treated.

​

Other common exposures to silica dust occur in cement and brick manufacturing, asphalt pavement manufacturing, china, and ceramic manufacturing, steel and foundry industries. Crystalline silica is also used in manufacturing, household abrasives, adhesives, paints, soaps, and glass. Additionally, crystalline silica exposures occur in the maintenance, repair, and replacement of refractory brick furnace linings.

​

Over 2.3 million Americans are exposed to silica in the process of their jobs every year. Silica can easily be inhaled where it can enter the lungs and bloodstream. If not caught in time, workers are at risk for a variety of complications, including Silicosis – incurable in the lung tissue and can lead to death, lung cancer, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and chronic kidney disease.

SCT Medical Clinic provides in-depth testing for the signs of complications from silica.

​

During an exam for occupational silica exposure, our provider will evaluate your medical history and silica exposure. If this is your first exam, a tuberculosis skin test will be done. This is done to evaluate your baseline tuberculosis status with a known increase in risks for tuberculosis in silica-exposed persons. Also done during the exam will be a chest x-ray with B Read, an OSHA respiratory questionnaire, and a pulmonary function test.

​

It is recommended that silica tests be conducted every three years. Don’t miss your next examination.